“NO ONE!”

 Romans 3:9-18 (ESV)

“NO ONE” Is Righteous

[9] What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that ALL, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, [10] as it is written: 

    “None is righteous, NO, NOT ONE; 
    [11] “NO ONE” understands;
        “NO ONE” seeks for GOD. 
    [12] All have turned aside; together they have become worthless;
        “NO ONE” does good,
        NOT EVEN ONE.” 
    [13] “Their throat is an open grave;
        they use their tongues to deceive.”
    “The venom of asps is under their lips.” 
    [14] “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.” 
    [15] “Their feet are swift to shed blood; 
    [16] in their paths are ruin and misery, 
    [17] and the way of peace they have not known.” 
    [18] “There is no fear of GOD before their eyes.”

King David sinned! Moses sinned! Isaiah sinned! None of the Apostles stood up for JESUS CHRIST when HE was being crucified for mankind!  

The Apostle Paul wrote the book of Romans, a letter to the church at Rome in the first century. He referred to King David (Psalm 14) when he wrote “NO ONE” seeks GOD! There isn’t a person who is without sin. “NO ONE”!!!  

From time to time there are people who single out humans for their personal choices that are less than “ideal”. Formerly, I was one of those people who wanted to help “crucify” people for their actions. But then it was made CLEAR to me that I was “the chief of sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15 (KJV)). It is extremely difficult to SEE the sins of others when I am so consumed with my own actions!!!

Please remember that we ALL are wretched people who are in need of a SAVIOR! “NO ONE” does good, NOT EVEN ONE.” It pains me to think that I am worse than many, BUT JESUS CHRIST CHOSE to rescue me knowing that “NO ONE” needed HIM more than this humble servant!!!

From Bishop Robert E. Smith Sr.

 From Bishop Robert E. Smith Sr.!

“We are justified by faith (Gal.2:16), live by faith (Gal.2:20), walk by faith  (2 Cor.5:7), and work by faith (1 Thess.1:2), when Christ lives big in us (Gal.4:19).”

“HE SAW!”

 2 Kings 6:17                    (ESV)

“Then Elisha prayed and said, “O LORD, please open his eyes that he may see.” So the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and “HE SAW”, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.”

Elisha was a special man in the EYES of the LORD!  He KNEW that GOD can reveal things to the eyes of a person, but unless GOD DIVINELY OPENS their EYES, they will NEVER be able to comprehend what they are SEEING!!!

We don’t SEE the changes in our lives sometimes because we don’t have the ability to observe what is right in front of our eyes!!  

FATHER IN HEAVEN, cause me to SEE precisely what I need to SEE to GLORIFY YOUR NAME!  Grant my request to let people know that it is only because of YOUR GRACE that I am afforded the BLESSING to say “HE SAW”!!!

LETTING GO!!!

 It took me a LONG TIME to SEE this TRUTH!  We don’t take ONE BREATH (Isaiah 42:5) without ALMIGHTY GOD giving HIS BLESSING!!!

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“YOUR COMFORT!”

 Psalm 94:19                   (NASB)

“When my anxious thoughts multiply within me, YOUR comfort delights my soul.”

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SO many times I become very “anxious” about how my life is unfolding, but GOD already has EVERYTHING planned out for me, and after all, I have died to myself and HE is living inside of me!!!

“FEW ARE CHOSEN!”

 Matthew 22:1-14                (ESV)

The Parable of the Wedding Feast

“[1] And again JESUS spoke to them in parables, saying, [2] “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son, [3] and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come. [4] Again he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.”’ [5] But they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, [6] while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them. [7] The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. [8] Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy. [9] Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.’ [10] And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests.

[11] “But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. [12] And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. [13] Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ [14] For MANY ARE CALLED, but “FEW ARE CHOSEN”.”

Briefly this morning, “this world” is SO BUSY with its supposed cares and progressions that the WORD OF GOD has seemingly been relegated to insignificance by even those who claim to be CHOSEN.  A “brief” study time each day is what we “feel” is what we are called to do when JESUS is PLAINLY telling us in the Scriptures above that MANY ARE CALLED, but “FEW ARE CHOSEN”!!!

Which statement identifies your life??  Are you a part of the MANY ARE CALLED?  Or are you a portion that is called “FEW ARE CHOSEN”???  These words were spoken by THE CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSES, and HE IS THE ONE WHO performs THE CHOOSING!  There is no faking or lying, because JESUS says “FEW ARE CHOSEN”!!!

“BE STILL!”

 This photo was taken on a recent trip to Petit Jean Mountain.  The “calmness” of the wind drew my attention as it seemed like the entire lake was very tranquil!  

In life, we don’t seem to appreciate BEING STILL nearly as much as we detest turmoil and misery.  Just as this lake is VERY calm by the grace of GOD, so our lives experience complete calmness purely by the grace of GOD!  

Although I didn’t SEE the calmness of the waters when I was taking the picture, I did afterwards!  I don’t know about you, but I am VERY appreciative that GOD OPENED my EYES to SEE the PEACE and CALMNESS that I failed to notice until I was back at home.  

BE STILL always seems to SPEAK to me, even when I am not in tune with the SPIRIT!!!

“GOD CHOSE!”

 1 Corinthians 1:26-31                    (ESV)

“[26] For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. [27] But “GOD CHOSE” what is FOOLISH in the world to SHAME the wise; “GOD CHOSE” what is WEAK in the world to SHAME the strong; [28] “GOD CHOSE” what is LOW and DESPISED in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, [29] so that no human being might boast in the presence of GOD. [30] And because of HIM you are in CHRIST JESUS , who became to us wisdom from GOD, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, [31] so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the LORD.””

I’m not a very smart person!  As a matter of fact, I am quite literally Brain Damaged by the July 09, 2007 Brain Hemorrhage!  But I am BLESSED enough to admit that ALMIGHTY GOD is capable of placing thoughts in my brain to accomplish HIS PLAN!  HE has given me a VISION for Psalms 46:10 Ministries, Inc., a VISION that demands HIS ASSISTANCE and PROVIDENCE to make it happen!  

Why would ALMIGHTY “GOD CHOOSE” a dirt poor, semi-retired man to listen to a PLAN that a younger, more capable and energetic person could do for HIM?  Moses had been in the wilderness for quite a while before GOD called him to go see Pharaoh.  David was CHOSEN as king long before given the throne.  GOD hardly ever CHOOSES the cream-of-the-crop to perform portions of HIS PLAN.  Instead HE CHOOSES we who will display HIS OMNIPOTENCE to a lost and dying world! 

I am not nearly as strong as I was 40 years ago.  I have never been grandly successful in the business world.  At the age of 56 I had quadruple bypass surgery on my heart where I recovered fully within six weeks!  As previously stated, at the age of 46 I survived a “massive brain hemorrhage”, with a note from my doctor declaring “However, he has had a remarkable recovery that could only be defined as a miracle from GOD”!  If GOD ordained me to be DIVINELY CHANGED by the Brain Hemorrhage as my medical records indicate, HIS PLAN was surely going to be fulfilled regardless of my “weaknesses” and inabilities!  

Could it be that THE ALMIGHTY has orchestrated my entire life as part of HIS PLAN to accomplish what HE has prepared me for through these “trials and tribulations”?  Could it be that “GOD CHOSE” one of the WEAKEST, LOW, and DESPISED among HIS CHILDREN to relay to others what it truly means to BE STILL?    It is certainly more than “coincidence” (A sequence of events that although accidental seems to have been planned or arranged) that THE ALMIGHTY orchestrated, not only “my life”, but also the lives of every person in humanity???

The FACT that “GOD CHOSE” “the least of these” (Matthew 25:45) to serve HIM makes 1 Timothy 1:15-16 become more plausible?  Whenever you take into account the entirety of CREATION and everything that is in it, you have to come to the realization that we are NOT capable of making choices that are wise enough to sustain even our own lives, let alone the billions of people whom HE has CREATED!  The fact that “GOD CHOSE” to keep the FOREMOST of sinners (me) alive for 64 years is MIRACULOUS in itself!  HE amazes me with HIS GRACE and MERCY!!!

“I WILL DELIVER YOU!”